Because it is an island situated neatly between two monsoon weather patterns, Sri Lanka offers surfers an incredible luxury: there is always an offshore breeze blowing somewhere on the island.
The surfing seasons are cleanly split between the South Coast (November-April) and the East Coast (May-October). Depending on exactly when you visit, you'll want to aim your board in a different direction.
1. The South Coast (Nov - April)
During the European winter, the South Coast comes alive. The water is warm, the skies are generally clear, and the coastline stretching from Galle down past Matara serves up a buffet of breaks for every skill level.
Weligama (Best for Beginners)
Weligama is a massive, sheltered bay featuring a sandy bottom. The waves here break softly over hundreds of meters, making it arguably the single best place in Asia to learn how to surf. The bay is lined with dozens of local surf schools renting out massive foam boards by the hour.
Mirissa (Intermediate to Advanced)
Just around the corner from Weligama lies Mirissa. While famous for its nightlife and whale watching, surfers come for the crescent-shaped bay that features an excellent right-hand reef break at point, and a punchy left-hander in the bay.
Hiriketiya (The Jungle Bay)
Further east down the coast, Hiriketiya is a perfectly enclosed bay. For beginners, the beach break in the center is gentle. For advanced surfers, a sharp left-hand reef break peels around the western point.
2. The East Coast (May - October)
When the monsoon arrives in the south, making the ocean choppy and murky, the surf crowd packs up and drives eight hours to the pristine East Coast.
Arugam Bay (The Surfer's Mecca)
Arugam Bay (or "A-Bay") is legendary. It is a long right-hand point break that peels beautifully across a reef. Often ranked among the top ten surf points in the world, A-Bay hosts international Red Bull surf competitions. It is fast, hollow, and consistent. Better suited for intermediate to advanced riders during large swells.
Peanut Farm & Elephant Rock
A short tuk-tuk ride away from the main A-Bay point lie the smaller, more forgiving breaks of Peanut Farm and Elephant Rock. Both are idyllic strips of sand where you might literally see wild elephants observing the surfers from the treeline.